The Balinor Chronicles: The Celestial Herd
Chapter Twenty: The Tale of Acheates and Adonis
This Chapter is dedicated to Dorcha-Solas.
Barikah's floating trot carried her past Panthera's colt. He looked almost exactly like his father, just a shade lighter and with brilliant white stocks on each leg. He had been named Adonis, and luckily for the Herd, was lacking in his father's sense of humor. Barikah didn't think the Herd could withstand another singer of nonsense songs. Adonis was playing with other foals, and Barikah grinned at his choice of friends – a brown, two blues, and another yellow. The yellow colt was probably Adonis's best friend. He was Acheates, and was the favored Arkim's son. The duo had, it seemed, become adjoined at the barrel recently, and on was never seen without the other. They were as good friends as Chinawksul and Panthera had been once upon a yesterday, Barikah reflected.
Barikah still followed the path into the mountains, still visited the Pool, still searched for her friends although she knew in her heart that she would never find them. Sometimes, Barikah would leave when she failed; other times she would stare at any beauty she could find the Mortal Realms. She felt it easier to sneak away since the Mixing, but still she was cautious. And still, though she didn't realize it, she was followed.
Adonis and Acheates. Acheates and Adonis. They are more then friends; they are brothers, in heart, in spirit, in mind. Both born of the Sun line, they unwittingly resemble the pair that Adonis' father once made: a royal of the Sun, a descendant of the sun. They are closer than Adonis' father was to Chinawksul, if possible. They are closer then Orcinus and Aeoleus, the very definition of friendship. Never has there been a pair of greater brothers then the pair of Acheates and Adonis. Nor has there ever been such a great pair of trouble makers.
They know many things. More then once they have listened in on the Council of the Elementals without being caught. More then once they followed the Lords to the Council of the Herd. More then once they pursued a pale and dark mare into the woods. More then once they have tried her pool of water; more then once has Adonis found it within his ability to see the Mortal Realms. And several times more then once has the duo gotten in trouble for their doings.
It is after one these particularly long and boring how-dare-you-dishonor-this-family lectures that the two decide to take their revenge on their parents. Acheates, coached in the art of politics as he is Arkim's son, maneuvers Adonis into a position where the topic of the Mortal Realms comes up. Acheates, sly as he is the son of Arkim, plants the idea in Adonis' head that they should go to Mortal Realms, just for fun. And why not? It stands to reason that the Pool can be 'left open' behind them, so therefore they can get back through.
This is what it is like to be Adonis at the moment:
Youhave the power to do anything you want. For once, you are the best. For once you are needed for more then just a distraction. You can make your best friend in the entire universe happy, pay him back for all the times that he's helped you. You are of age, and have no obligation to answer to any but Solaris now. You have the power to ignore everything you hated about your childhood. You have the ability to take revenge on your father and on the unicorn your father so lovingly calls jerk. You can do anything…if you want. You can have another adventure;this timewhere no one can follow. You can be the leader this time. You can do this forever. You can do it all. And why not? Why not indeed.
There is the slim chance that the dice may be thrown and that someone will catch them. There is every possibility that Barikah will choose this day to go to the Pool. And in Fate's miraculous game of probability, it is more likely that they will end up not going then it is you will be struck by lightning. If even just one were to happen….
There would be no story.
The dice are thrown.
By some working of Fate, Acheates and Adonis went to the Pool, or really, went through the Pool. By some manipulation of Adonis's the Pool remained a two-way portal. By some odd possibility, Barikah gave up searching for friends. By some chance, they remained unfound for a very, very long time.
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